Energy Content of Quantum Systems and the Alleged Collapse of the Wavefunction

TL;DR

This paper proposes that the wavefunction's energy content in quantum systems explains the wavefunction collapse as a physical energy transfer during measurement, emphasizing energy conservation when potential energy is viewed as a field attribute.

Contribution

It introduces a perspective where wavefunction collapse is explained through energy transfer, reconciling energy conservation by treating potential energy as a field attribute.

Findings

Wave field has potential energy that exchanges with particles.

Energy conservation holds when potential energy is a field attribute.

Collapse of wavefunction is a physical energy transfer during measurement.

Abstract

It is shown that within a quantum system, the wave field has a (potential) energy content that can be exchanged with quantum particles. Energy conservation in quantum systems holds if potential energy is correctly taken to be a field attribute. From this perspective, a transfer of energy occurs on measurement from the wave field to a quantum particle and this provides a physical explanation of what is commonly referred to as the collapse of the wavefunction.